


The New Girl

by thesalukihusker



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Jancy Fic Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:16:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesalukihusker/pseuds/thesalukihusker
Summary: The Byers family grew by one this year. Another seat at the table, another picture on the mantle. And in the middle of all of those photos of two little boys is one of this brand new girl.
Relationships: Jonathan Byers & Joyce Byers, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers & Nancy Wheeler
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	The New Girl

**Author's Note:**

> A fic for the "firsts" category for Jancy Week 2019. This takes place in 1995. I don't own Jancy, I just ship them.

November 23, 1995

Joyce is mesmerized by the tiny girl she's been rocking for half an hour.

She laughs as little Amanda grimaces, as though she's having an unpleasant dream, and then goes still again. "It's okay, Gramma's got you," Joyce tells her.

_ Grandma.  _ This three-week-old girl is the perfect combination of her parents. There was a time Joyce wondered if this day would ever come. 

Joyce checks the clock. _ 4:35 a.m. _ It's Thanksgiving morning. She lays the baby against her shoulder, kissing her tiny head. An empty bottle sits on the table in front of Joyce. Jonathan and Nancy are asleep. She was all too happy to have some one-on-one time with her granddaughter.

The Byers family grew by one this year. Another seat at the table, another picture on the mantle. And in the middle of all of those photos of two little boys is one of this brand new girl.

Joyce stands up slowly, patting the baby's back. She starts to sing.  _ I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day… _

###

It was mid-April when Jonathan left a message on the answering machine. "I have some important news." 

Jonathan and Nancy's careers took off quickly after college graduation. It was no surprise to Joyce that Jonathan was in-demand as a photographer.  _ I always knew you would be,  _ she told him, every time he talked about a project. Nancy quickly rose through the ranks of the Chicago newsroom she worked for. They were busy, and happy, and Jonathan called once a week.

Last Christmas, Joyce asked the question that had been on her mind since Jonathan and Nancy married four years earlier.

"So...have you thought some more about starting a family?"

Jonathan and Nancy had talked about it, at length, but decided to wait. They wanted to get their careers started, travel a little, enjoy being with each other.  _ But you've been together since your Junior year of high school,  _ Joyce would think, every time the subject came up. 

Four months later, she's crying on the living room couch when Jonathan gives her the news.

_ How's Nancy feeling? Is everyone healthy? When is she due?  _ Jonathan's crying too as he tells Joyce about the first ultrasound. "Turns out it wasn't a bad case of the flu."

He reassures Joyce that everyone is healthy, and that Nancy is resting. The baby is due in November, a week before Thanksgiving. She's the first one they call. The Wheelers are next.

Joyce waits half an hour after Jonathan's call to dial the Wheeler house. Karen's been happy crying too.  _ We should start thinking about a baby shower. Let's talk in a couple days about when would be a good weekend to go see them.  _

The next day, an envelope arrives in the mail. When Joyce opens it, the emotions well up again. 

_ Byers, Nancy. Seven weeks. Dr. Martin. HR 150.  _

An ultrasound photo. And a note in Jonathan's distinct handwriting. "Meet your grandbaby!"

Joyce is putting the photo in a frame when the phone rings. It's Will. He wants in on the baby shower planning, too. 

###

"Have you decided on names?"

Nancy's resting against Jonathan's shoulder on the Wheelers' couch, dozing off. The baby shower was elaborate, and Jonathan wonders where they're going to put all of this stuff. 

They decided not to find out if the baby is a boy or girl. Joyce and Karen tried to pry it out of them;  _ it'll be easier to plan if we know, _ they told their kids. But no luck.

It's August, and Nancy is uncomfortable in the heat. Jonathan's indulging her late-night cravings, and they're getting a nursery ready. Both sets of parents have been to visit often since April. Jonathan and Nancy get the same questions every time. Jonathan is patient. Nancy is not.

Jonathan looks at Nancy, who's fallen asleep. "We haven't completely decided on names yet." He pauses, then looks at his mother. "But we know we want Joyce as a middle name if we have a girl."

The happy tears she's been crying for months are back again. 

###

They almost don't make it to the hospital on time.

Nancy's water breaks in the middle of the night, two weeks before her due date. Jonathan immediately jumps out of bed, getting dressed, grabbing Nancy's bag. She'd been having contractions for a couple of hours, but they were far apart.  _ It could be a long labor,  _ Nancy's doctor told them.  _ First babies tend to be. _ Still, they hurry out the door.

An hour later, a squirming, six-pound newborn is laid on Nancy's chest. As Nancy and the baby are moved to a room, Jonathan makes a couple of phone calls.

The phone ringing at 5 a.m. startles Joyce. She reaches over to the nightstand, grabbing the wireless handset. 

"She's here, mom. A girl. You have a granddaughter. She's beautiful and perfect and it all happened so fast."

Amanda Joyce Byers is born on November 1. Joyce can't get on the road to Chicago fast enough. 

By late morning, Joyce, Karen, and Ted are in Nancy's hospital room, smitten with the newest member of their families. Karen holds her first, and the three declare Amanda to be  _ the most beautiful baby ever.  _ After a while, she hands baby Amanda to Joyce. 

The tiny girl looks right at Joyce. She has Jonathan's eyes. 

Joyce is overwhelmed by emotion as she snuggles the baby close, stroking her headful of dark brown hair.

"Hi, sweetheart. We've been waiting for you."

###

It's quiet in the house, Thanksgiving dinner eaten, everyone resting for the night. Except the youngest Byers, and her mother.

"It's okay, sweet girl," Nancy whispers to Amanda, as she tries to get the fussy baby back to sleep. Joyce sits on the couch next to Nancy, who's in the rocking chair. She's clearly frustrated; they're all adjusting to this new life.

"Jonathan's better at this than I am," Nancy tells Joyce, exhaustion evident on her face. "He's a natural. It's amazing."

Joyce feels the tears coming again. "You're both naturals. Jonathan was so stubborn when he was a baby. It seemed like it would take him forever to go to sleep. But you'll figure out what works and suddenly she'll be sleeping through the night."

"That must be where she gets it from," Nancy says, laughing. The baby is still, making tiny snoring noises.

Nancy kisses Amanda's cheek and starts to walk back toward the bedroom, telling Joyce goodnight. They'll be up again in three hours, when it's Jonathan's turn to feed the baby.

Joyce watches Nancy disappear in to the bedroom, and turns to look at the playpen next to the couch. She's thankful most this year for new beginnings.


End file.
